Wire-tightener



tt y

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON I'I. STUPAKOFROF PITTSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH ANDSIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA. i

WIRE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,733, dated May 16,1893.

Application filed September 5, 1892. Serial No. 445,085. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SIMON H. STUPAKOFE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Wire-Tighteners, of which improvements the following isa specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in meansfor tightening wires, and has for its object a device incorporatein orforming a part of a line of wire, whereby the tension of such line ofwire may bc easily and quickly adjusted as required.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction andcombination substantially as hereinafter more fully described andparticularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,Figure l is a view in side elevation of my improved tightener inoperative position in a line of wire. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the sameon an enlarged scale. Figs. 3 and i are side and plan viewsrespectively, of a modified form of the tightener. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of a further modification of the tightener. Figs. 6 and 7 aredetail views of the movable blocks or links. Figs. 8 and 9 aretransverse sections, the planes of section being indicated by the lines5c, oc, and y, y, Figs. 3 and 5 respectively.

In the practice of my invention, the adja- Vcent ends l, la, of a lineof wire are attached to one end or side of the blocks or links 2, 2a,arranged on the bar 3. The bar 3 may consist of two plates arrangedparallel with each other, as shown in Figs. l to et, inclusive, or of asolid bar as shown in Figs. 5 and 9. The opposite edges of the bar areprovided with a series of teeth or notches 4, the teeth or notches onthe edges being oppositely pitched,

`so as to hold one of the blocks or links as against movement in onedirction and the otherlink as against movement in the oppositedirection. The parts 2, 2a, may be madein the form of blocks adapted totit between the side plates, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, and providedwith lateral wings or lugs 5 and 6, projecting over the edges of theside plates. The

inner edges of the lugs 5 are suitably shaped to engage the teeth ornotches 4,whi1e the inner edges of the lugs 6 are constructed to bearupon and slide along the smooth portions of the edges of the bar.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 7, the parts 2, 2, may be made in the formof split links so as to [it around the bar 3. In this form the lugs 5project inwardly over the edge of the bar so as to engage the teeth ornotches 4, while the closed ends ot thelinks correspond to the lugs 6,and bear upon the plain portions ot the edges of the bar, said lugsbeing connected by pins 7, formed integral therewith.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 9, the parts 2, 2, are made inthe form of closed links, the inner edge of one end of the links beingconstructed to engage the teeth or notches in the bar. That end of eachbar or link opposite the one constructed to engage the teeth or notches,is provided with suitable means for connecting such as the hole S or thepin 7, for attaching the ends of the wires.

After the ends of the wires have been attached in the manner describedand the blocks or links slipped onto the bar 3, the latter is turned toa position at an angle to the normal direction of the line of wire, andthe links slid along the same toward each other if it is dcsired totighten the wire. The bar is turned in such direction to a positionparallel with the line of wire, that the ends of the wire will overlapas shown in Fig, l.

In order to hold the device in a position parallel with the wire, hooks9 are formed on the ends of the bar 3, for engaging the wire, as shownin Figs; l, 2 and 5. Any othersuitable means may be employed for lockingthe ends of the bars to the wire, as, for example, split rings l0 lnaybe arranged on the ends of the bar as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 8. Whenthe bar is turned to parallelism with the wire the latter passes throughthe gaps in the rings which are then turned to the position shown inFig. 8, thereby locking the end of the bar to the wire. The rings areheld in position on the bars by pins passing through slots in the ringsto permit of their adjustment.

I-claim herein as my invention l. In a Wiretightener, the combination ofa bar having oppositely pitched teeth along its edges, the teeth on oneedge extending from a point near the center of the bar toward one IOOend, and the teeth on the other edge from a l the bar and adapted toengage the teeth or point near the center toward the opposite end,notches and provided with means for connecblocks or links both movablealong the bar l tion `With the ends of the wire to be tightened l5 andprovided With oppositelyprojeoting lugs and split rings rotatable aroundthe bar for at one end adapted to engage the teeth on the l looking thelatter parallel or approximately bar and at the opposite ends with meansfor l so With the wire,substantially as set forth. attaching the wiresthereto, and means for In testimony whereof I have hereunto set lockingthe nar parallel approximately so with my hand. the wire, substantiallyas set forth. SIMON H. STUPAKOFF.

2. In a wire tightener, the combination of a Witnesses:

bar having oppositely pitched teeth or notches along its edges, blocksor links movable along DARWIN S. WoLooTT, R. H. WHITTLESEY.

